On the Subject of Eating Dog

Image source.

So apparently on June 21, in Yulin, Guangxi province, they have "dog meat day" (狗肉节).

Guangxi is in southern China, and kind of has a reputation for eating weird things. (Guangdong is another province in southern China and apparently they eat even more weird things there. There's a joke I've heard that "Guangdong people eat everything with four legs, except for tables.") But in most places in China, most people think it's really weird to eat dog.

Anyway, I saw some posts on Chinese social media about "share this post if you are opposed to dog meat day", and last night I saw a news story about dog activists protesting in the streets of Yulin. (Huge warning on that video- it has a couple shots of the dead, roasted dogs.)

So... it seems like eating dog is kind of controversial, and kind of "eh, people there eat weird things, that's just how they roll, whatever."

And my opinion? Well, as an American, first I'll say EWWW NO THE POOR LITTLE DOGGIES!

But, you guys, I'm not a vegetarian, so... Is this really all that different from eating pigs and cows and sheep?

Some people here in China think eating dog meat should be banned. But I think, unless you're a vegetarian, you're not really in a position to be advocating a ban. What's the difference? Pigs and cows can be smart and friendly too, and nobody has a problem with eating them. (Except some cities in China with large Muslim populations- yeah good luck finding pork there.)

Also, in China, they sell cooked chickens with the heads still attached. They serve fish on a plate with its eye looking at you. It seems like Chinese culture is way less discreet about the fact that meat comes from animals.

So... yeah. Again, let me emphasize "dog meat day" is just something that happens in Guangxi province. Don't read this and think "Chinese people eat dog"- no, the majority of Chinese people do not. Dogs are pets, just like in America. (Haha, nope, American pets are way more spoiled.)

This dog is happy because it is a pet and no one is eating it. Image source.